The new addition

The New Addition 1

10:00 AM 2

“Don’t look now…” Geoff grumbled, cracking an eye and peering from his bed through the bars and out into the hallway. Several groans resounded, the lights flickered on, and the groans grew louder. 3

“Good morning gentlemen!” Reverend Summerland called to the row of men that lined the walls. 4

“Great—that time of day again…” Charlie muttered, rolling away from the light. Charlie wasn’t a morning person. 5

“THE GREAT ORB THAT IS THE SUN RISES IN THE BLUE MORNING SKY—” Robbie, the newest addition to The Corner wailed from his cell. 6

Geoff groaned, and whistled to Charlie. “Drama boy’s at it again. You’d think he’d get tired of this renaissance crap day in and day out,” he snapped. Then, to Robbie, “Hey, you! Who do you think you are, Hamlet? Drop the act kid!” 7

Charlie scowled as the reverend approached the group of guys lounging about in their beds. 8

“Now, gentlemen, it’s not God’s way to criticize.” Reverend Summerland spoke to them. 9

“Shove it, preacher-man, you’re not converting anyone here today, I don’t even know why you try anymore. We’re too far gone for you to come around preaching to us.” Charlie spat, eyeing the reverend that stood not three feet from him, on the other side of the bars. 10

“It is my job, sir, my duty to try.” The reverend said, “keep it down today, we’re going to have visitors later.” 11

12:40 PM 12

Jed the librarian wheeled his cart of memoirs and notes from one side of the building to another. Jed was grumbling under his breath, pushing the cart whose wheels squeaked, grating under the pressure down the long row of barred rooms. He stopped when Geoff called his name. 13

“Good morn, Jed. What news you got for us today?” The old man called, looking suspiciously for these supposed ‘visitors’. 14

“Hear tell you all’s getting a new member.” Jed’s strained whisper reverberated in the little room. 15

“You’ve gotta be kiddin’ me! I’ve been here so long—where’re they gonna put this guy?” Geoff’s voice rose with every syllable. 16

“Stuff it Geoff, no one needs your tall tales of how long your butt’s been in here rotting. No one cares, man. Drop it already.” Charlie barked from his bed. 17

Geoff waved Jed off. “Shut up, scrooge! Why don’t you quit hiding that whisky in your sheets and fess up to the drunkard you really are?” The old man turned his attention to Charlie, who merely huffed and ignored him. 18

“Bah, who needs you, anyway, you’ve been in here so long you don’t even remember what the real world looks like.” 19

Geoff growled, but didn’t reply. 20

2:30 PM 21

The newcomer arrived. Eight men all dressed in similar outfits designating their guardianship over the arrival surrounded the man who did not say a word. Geoff watched him silently, wondering where in the Lord’s name this recruit was going to end up. 22

“Looks like fresh meat’s here. I bet he’s not nearly as interesting as me!” Robbie cooed from Geoff’s left. 23

Reverend Summerland read the new guy his final rights before his placement, and his family bid him farewell as the guards ushered him past several small rooms toward the far left corner. 24

“Aw man, I’m going to have to share, I just know it.” Robbie whined, “There’s not enough room for two people in here!” 25

“Stop being overdramatic, I’m surprised you and your journals fit into that space…” Charlie shot a look Robbie’s way. 26

“Hello Geoffrey,” one of the guards smiled at the old man through the iron cage as the door slid open. 27

5:00 PM 28

Geoff muttered under his breath and glared at the man lying on the bed across from him. “What’s your name, son?” He asked, after almost two hours of silence. 29

“People back home called me Rudy.” The young man said. 30

Geoff huffed, “What a name. Where you from?” 31

“Was born in India.” Rudy said, he wasn’t much of a talker. 32

“Great—now they’re putting foreigners in here, who next? Bill Clinton?” Charlie mused from his cell. 33

Reverend Summerland was making his final rounds before leaving for the day when he overheard Geoff’s comment. He stopped and greeted the newcomer. “Mr. Kipling, I hope you won’t find Mr. Chaucer much trouble, he’s an old bat, but he knows the ropes around here; he could teach you a thing or two.” 34

Rudy nodded, looking cautiously at Geoff and acknowledging the priest’s advice. 35

“And you’ll have to forgive Mr. Dickens; he been a bit of a scrooge since he got here, something about ghosts keeping him up all night.” Reverend Summerland stated pointing to the grouch to Rudy’s right. 36

“Yeah, and try your best not to talk to Browning, he’s a bit of a drama queen.” Chaucer mocked the poet by waving his hands in the air. 37

Reverend Summerland shook his head, “You boys have a good night, Westminster begins her tours tomorrow, the usual time.” 38